ABUJA – (Federal Ministry of Science & Technology Report) – The Federal Ministry of Science and Technology is soon to introduce small hydropower projects using existing dams to address the energy needs of the rural areas of the country.
The Minister of Science and Technology, Ogbonnaya Onu (Dr) disclosed this when he received a delegation of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, who visited the Ministry in Abuja on Oversight and Investigative function recently. He later observed that already the projects and transformers have already been designed indigenously by the Ministry’s engineers. Adding, the Oyan Dam and Ikere Gorge Dam were selected for the pilot scheme, whilst the Ministry is making strenuous efforts to improve and expand the scope to cover other parts of the country.
Ogbonnaya Onu also briefed the Committee on the 774 Young Scientists Award of the Ministry, stressing that the programme was initiated to encourage young Nigerians to take interest in science subjects as a way of promoting Science, Technology and Innovation in the country. According to him, the programme is competitive, merit-based, transparent and affords opportunities for the participation of every Local Government Area. He later hinted that the Ministry will continue to improve on the programme and ensure the effective participation of all and sundry.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Science and Technology, Robert Ajayi Borrofice (Prof) said that the Committee came on a special oversight visit to find out what the Ministry had done with the 2018 budget appropriation as well as its progress on the 2019 budget proposal.
Robert Borrofice averred that the Committee will visit project sites to ensure that everything is done in line with the spirit of transparency and the Fiscal Responsibility Best Practices. He further implored the Ministry to fully update the Committee on its Cluster Village Technology Project and the Waste – To – Wealth Programme as well as its Renewable Energy Programme.
